Like-minded Opposition leaders to meet tomorrow in Parliament to discuss strategy for floor of house

New Delhi [India], March 26 : Like-minded Opposition leaders will meet tomorrow in the Rajya Sabha LoP chamber in Parliament to discuss the strategy for the floor of the house, according to sources.

This is the third week of the second part of the Parliament session and till now parliament is witnessing a logjam as the Opposition is demanding JPC on the Ad issue and Treasury Benches were demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his speech in London alleging that he defamed the country on foreign soil.

However, after the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership, the Parliament session is expected to witness a ruckus.

Notably, Congress leaders will step up their protest against the Centre on Monday over the Ad issue and disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as MP from Lok Sabha wearing black clothes, party sources said on Sunday.

Congress MPs in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will attend the Parliament by putting on black clothes.

The Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, earlier in August last year, had worn black clothes and staged a protest against the Centre against price rise, GST hike on essential items and unemployment. They had marched towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan as part of their stir against the issues.

Notably, Congress has demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Ad issue and staged protests in the Parliament's ongoing Budget Session.

Earlier today, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge along with party leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others paid tributes at Raj Ghat amid 'Satyagraha' against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as MP from Lok Sabha.

Among others who were present were KC Venugopal and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The Congress held 'Sankalp Satyagraha' at Raj Ghat. Priyanka Gandhi arrived at Raj Ghat for the protest on Sunday. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretary KC Venugopal and several other party leaders also joined the protest.

Rahul Gandhi, on Friday, was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha, a day after a Surat court sentenced him to two years' imprisonment in a defamation case filed against him over his 'Modi surname' remark.

The decision came pertaining to his remark made in April 2019, where he had said "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname" at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. The court approved Gandhi's bail on a surety and stayed the sentence for 30 days to allow him to approach the higher courts.

After being convicted in the defamation case and subsequently disqualified from Lok Sabha, Gandhi, hit out BJP. While addressing a press conference, Gandhi said that he is not scared of going to prison and his disqualification from Parliament was aimed at distracting people from the Ad issue.

"Moot question remains who invested Rs 20,000 crore in Ad shell firms. I will keep asking the question," he said.

The former MP alleged that the BJP-led central government is allegedly protecting businessman Gautam Ad, who has been accused of stock mpulation.

"Why is the BJP-led centre is allegedly protecting the businessman Gautam Ad? Kyuki aap hi Ad ho," he alleged.